India keen to assert supremacy in tri-series

Chennai: After a dent to their impressive home reputation in the recent Test series, India will be looking forward to assert their supremacy in the shorter version of the game when they take on New Zealand in the opening match of the triangular One- day series at the M A Chidambaram stadium on Thursday. It was a classic case of the hunter becoming the hunted in what was billed as the 'revenge series' with the Kiwis very nearly turning the table on the hosts in the Mohali Test. The two-match Test series may have ended in a draw but the Indians, playing in their own backyard, were far from convincing against a team which seemed to have done their home work well to counter the Indian conditions.

The home team will now be more determined to get its act together in the series. But the hosts will have to contend with the third party, the Kangaroos. For all reasons, the fans will be looking forward to the Australians for entertaining cricket. Sure, the World Champions, scheduled to arrive in Delhi, will be with a weakened bowling line-up after losing Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie and Brett Lee to various injuries.

They would also miss the services of Shane Warne who is undergoing a ban after testing positive for a diuretic before the World Cup early this year. But the presence of world record holder Mathew Hayden in the all-conquering team is bound to create some hype and frenzy. Hayden has come a long way since he piled on the runs when the Australians toured the subcontinent under Steve Waugh in 2001.